InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ When We First Met ❯ Jewel Within ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and gang. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

When We First Met

Chapter 8

Jewel Within

Inuyasha and Kagome had spent their days in the field getting to know each other. Whether they talked or just enjoyed each other's presence. Each day they were getting to know one another.

It was hard for Kagome to see Inuyasha, then meet with Sango and Miroku, then talk with Kaede, and do whatever needed to be done at home. Kaede started talking to her about miko training. Kagome's full power hadn't been unleashed yet so nothing could be done right away.

Kagome was walking from Kaede's hut thinking. She was so deep in thought she wasn't looking where she was going. The question that was in her mind now was what was going to happen if her full powers were released? And did she have something that youkai wanted?

Before she knew it Kagome was in the field where her and Inuyasha talked. She sat down to ponder the questions that invaded her mind. What could she have that youkai wanted and what was it? She didn't carry anything of value with her.

Kagome stood up when the wind blew around her. It was getting late and cold. As she headed back to her hut a man standing in front of her stopped her. She'd never seen him before. "Can I help you with something?" Kagome asked.

"Hand it over miko." The man said. He had dark green eyes, long brown hair that was in a low ponytail. He had a light green short sleeved haori on with dark green baggy pants. He had pointed ears and long fangs.

"Hand what over?" Kagome asked.

"You know what it is." The man said.

Kagome was getting tired of youkai assuming she knew what they wanted. "I don't know what you're talking about!" Kagome shouted.

"Maybe it's not known to its owner Taka."

From the forest a woman jumped down from the trees. She had light green eyes and long black hair that stopped at the back of her knees. She had an outfit that was similar to miko robes on. The pants were black and less baggy. The shirt was the same color as the man's pants. She had a black sash wrapped around her waist with a katana hooked to it.

"What do you mean Eri?" The man asked.

"She could have it without knowing." The woman said.

"Ah, that's why we can sense the power within her. She does seem truthful about not knowing what we're talking about." The man said.

"Of course I don't know what you're talking about." Kagome said.

"Hmm, you've never heard of the Shikon No Tama?" The woman asked.

"No." Kagome said.

"It has been gone for over fifty years." Taka said. "I wonder why it has reappeared."

Kagome took a step back. The youkai probably weren't here to educate her on something she didn't know she had. "I think you've scared her Taka." Eri said.

"If anyone has scared her, it was you. Jumping out of the forest like that." Taka said.

Eri waved her hand in front of Taka. "Let's just get this over with. Gomen miko, but your going to have to die." Eri said.

Taka's eyes changed color to black and raised his arm. Kagome screamed as she was being lifted off of the ground. Eri jumped into the air and clawed at her. She landed back on the ground and Kagome fell with a thud.

Kagome's side was bleeding from three scratch marks. She held her side and tried to stand up. She stumbled back to the ground. Eri ran towards her ready to attack again. She was thrown back by the shield, that Kagome was able to create at the last minute.

Kagome hissed at the pain from creating the shield. She started feeling dizzy and passed out from the loss of blood. "I think she's finally out." Taka said.

"Creating that shield took a lot out of her." Eri said. "Let's get what we came for and leave."

They started walking towards the miko and stopped when they heard growling. "What is that?" Eri asked.

"I don't know. There was no one with her." Taka said.

"No one could've been with her. They would've tried to help her earlier." Eri said.

Inuyasha jumped out of the woods and landed in front of Kagome. The two youkai stopped. "Who the hell are you?" Taka yelled.

"Why the hell did you attack her?" Inuyasha growled.

"I think we hurt his mate." Eri said.

"Mate? I don't smell either of them on each other." Taka said.

"Can't you smell the claim? He's courting her." Eri said.

"Answer the damn question!" Inuyasha growled.

"No need to raise your voice." Eri said. "We came for the Shikon No Tama."

"You're going to pay for hurting her." Inuyasha growled.

"I'd like to see you try hanyou." Taka said.

"Don't get so damn cocky." Inuyasha growled.

He ran towards him and swiped at him with his claws. Taka dodged the swipe and jumped up into the air. He turned around and laughed. "You won't be able to get me with your blind fighting style." Taka said.

"Keh, who said I was after you?" Inuyasha said. He ran towards Eri and ran his claws through her stomach. She opened her mouth in a silent scream and fell to her knees. She'd never seen Inuyasha coming.

Inuyasha took back his hand as the girl entered the darkness of death. "You'll pay for that!" Taka yelled.

Inuyasha growled. "We'll see about that." He said. Eri ran towards Inuyasha and swiped at his head. "I'm going to cut your ears off."

Inuyasha ducked and swung his leg, knocking Eri to the ground. He held his claws towards his neck. Eri kicked him off and stood up. Inuyasha twisted in the air and landed on his feet. Eri showed his fangs and ran towards him again.

Inuyasha smirked as he saw an opening. He pulled out the katana Eri had around her waist. He'd taken it off of her and took it with him when he killed her. He had it hidden in his sleeve. He swung the sword and cut Taka from his left shoulder to his right side.

Taka fell to the ground muttering Eri's name. Inuyasha threw the sword behind him and ran to Kagome. Her side was bleeding heavily. He picked her up and ran into the woods. He sniffed the air and found a hot spring nearby.

He sat down close to the water's edge and set Kagome in his lap. He was going to have to take her yukata off to clean the wound. He untied it and let it fall loose to her sides. He was hoping she wouldn't wake up in the middle of it.

He did his best not to look and tore off a piece of his inner haori. He dipped it in the hot spring and cleaned off her wound. He tore off a bottom piece of her yukata to wrap her wound.

Once it was on good enough he wrapped her in her yukata. He took off his top haori and wrapped that around her just in case. He stood up and ran to the Goshinboku. It wasn't far from the hot spring. He sat on his usual branch and held Kagome in his arms hoping she would wake up soon.

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Kagome woke up a couple hours later. Her side hurt and her legs were cold. She opened her eyes and tried to sit up. A hand to her chest stopped her. She looked up and saw Inuyasha. Wait...wasn't she just fighting with some youkai?

"What happened?" Kagome asked.

"Some youkai attacked you." Inuyasha said.

Kagome remembered. She passed out from the loss of blood. She looked down to her side and noticed she was wearing Inuyasha's haori. "You saved me?" Kagome asked.

Inuyasha nodded. "Don't worry about those two. They won't be coming back. Are you okay?"

"My side just hurts." Kagome said.

"You were clawed pretty badly, but I wrapped your wound." Inuyasha said.

Kagome looked down at her legs. More leg was shown than usual. All the way up to mid thigh was revealed. She blushed. "You wrapped my wound?" She asked in a quiet voice.

"Well you were bleeding and I had to do something. I didn't look or anything." Inuyasha said.

"Arigato." Kagome blushed. She noticed it was dark. "How long was I asleep?"

"More than half the day." Inuyasha said.

"Okaa-san is probably worried." Kagome said.

"I'll take you home tomorrow." Inuyasha said. "It's too late now."

Kagome yawned. "Arigato."

Inuyasha motioned her head to rest on his chest. "Go to sleep." He said.

"Arigato." Kagome smiled.

"You say that a lot." Inuyasha chuckled.

Kagome laughed and yawned again. She leaned her head on Inuyasha's chest. "Oyasumi." Kagome mumbled and she drifted off to sleep.

Inuyasha watched as the girl fell asleep in his lap. If he'd only smelled her scent sooner he could've prevented the pain she was in. He was resting on the Goshinboku when he smelled Kagome's scent. He knew something was wrong because it was laced with blood. He jumped out of the tree and ran towards her scent.

He smoothed out her hair with his fingers as he held her close. A cold breeze caused Kagome to instinctively snuggle closer to the warmth of his body. He leaned his head on the tree and closed his eyes taking in her scent. He was relieved that she no longer smelled of blood.

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The sun just rose and Inuyasha turned his head to keep away from the bright glow. He sniffed the air and smelled Kagome's friends heading their way. They must've been on the fire neko. They couldn't travel that fast on foot. The neko would be able to sniff them out.

A couple minutes later they came into view. "Did something happen to Kagome-chan?" Sango called from below. Her and Miroku got off of Kirara.

Inuyasha held Kagome tight to his chest and jumped down. He was careful not to hurt her. "She was attacked by two youkai yesterday." Inuyasha said.

"Is she hurt?" Miroku asked.

"She has three claw marks on her side." Inuyasha said.

"We need to get her to Kaede." Sango said.

Inuyasha nodded. "Where does she live?" He asked. He didn't want to let go of her just yet.

"She lives in a hut in the village." Sango said. She could sense Inuyasha didn't want to let her go. "Follow us."

Sango and Miroku got on Kirara again. "Kirara, stop by Kagome's hut first." Sango said.

"What for?" Miroku asked. They headed towards the hut.

"So you can tell Kagome's Okaa-san that she's okay." Sango said.

"Ah." Miroku replied.

They got to her hut and let Miroku off. "I'll meet you at Kaede's hut after this." Miroku said.

"Hai." Sango said. She looked behind her to make sure Inuyasha was still there. He was and they took off again.

They made it to Kaede's hut and Sango walked in knowing the miko was up. "Kaede-sama." Sango called.

"Sango, what do you need?" Kaede asked.

"Kagome-chan has been hurt." Sango said. She motioned for Inuyasha to come in.

Inuyasha moved the curtain and walked in. "She has three claw marks on her side." Inuyasha said.

"Set her down on the futon." Kaede said. Inuyasha placed her on the futon that was in the middle of the hut. "You'll need to step outside for a little while."

As much as he didn't want to he did what he was told. He knew it was indecent even if it was for her health. Sango stayed in the hut to assist Kaede. Kaede removed the bandages and took a good look at the wound. "It has been bandaged well for such limited supplies." Kaede said.

She rubbed some herbs over the wound and bandaged her back up. "She'll be fine. It's not a deep scratch." Kaede said. "However she won't be able to do much walking around today or tomorrow."

"Hai." Sango said.

"You may come in." Kaede called to Inuyasha.

Inuyasha walked into the hut and sat down next to Kagome. He'd heard what was going on inside the hut so he didn't have to ask. "What happened?" Sango asked.

Miroku chose that time to walk in. "Kagome-sama's Okaa-san has been informed." He said. "Will she be okay?"

"Hai, she just can't do much walking until the day after tomorrow." Sango said. "Inuyasha was just about to tell us what happened."

"Your Inuyasha?" Kaede asked.

Inuyasha nodded. "I smelled Kagome's blood and ran after her. Some youkai were attacking her. They said something about her having the Shikon no Tama. What is it?" Inuyasha asked. "Does Kagome have it?"

"Hmm, the Shikon no Tama." Kaede said. "It's been gone for fifty years. My sister Kikyo had it. She died and took the jewel with her to the afterlife."

"How would Kagome have it?" Sango asked.

"She could be Kikyo's reincarnation." Miroku said.

"Hai, I believe that is true. They do resemble each other, although Kikyo was always serious and collected. Kagome is so full of life and energy." Kaede said.

"So, there is a possibility of Kagome-chan having the Shikon no Tama?" Sango asked.

"Hai." Kaede said. "I am not certain though."

"Where would it be?" Inuyasha asked. "I've never seen her have any jewel."

"It must be within her." Kaede said. "If youkai can sense a great power within her then she may have it without her knowing."

"What is the je..."Inuyasha started asking. He was cut off by Kagome's yawn.

She opened her eyes and saw numerous people looking at her. "Nani?" Kagome asked in a small voice.

"Are you all right?" Inuyasha asked.

"Hai." Kagome said. "Kaede-sama?"

"We found you earlier and told Inuyasha to bring you here." Sango said.

"Don't worry, I told your Okaa-san that you'll be fine." Miroku said.

"Arigato everyone." Kagome said.

"Kagome-sama, what happened before Inuyasha found you?" Miroku asked.

Kagome explained what happened. Everyone listened and tried to figure out anything about the Shikon no Tama. "Do you know what it is?" Kagome asked anyone.

"It is a jewel of great power." Kaede said. "It can power up either demons or humans."

"Why would I have it?" Kagome asked.

"We think you are the reincarnation of my elder sister Kikyo. She was the miko protector of the jewel. She died and took the jewel with her. If you do have it then it exists within your body." Kaede said.

Kagome held her hands to her chest. "Within my body?" She whispered.

"So the youkai want it because it has great power?" Sango asked.

"Hai." Kaede said.

"So that's what the other youkai wanted." Kagome said.

"You've been attacked more than once for the jewel?" Kaede asked.

"Hai." Kagome said.

"Always be on guard. If this gets around more youkai will be after you. If you have the jewel they'll take it or they'll kill you to find it." Kaede said.

Kagome sat up ignoring the pain in her side. "I think I should go home." Kagome said.

"That would be a good idea. You need your rest. Stay off of your feet until the day after tomorrow." Kaede said.

"Arigato Kaede-sama." Kagome said.

Sango and Miroku stood up. "We'll take you home." Sango said. "Watch your hands hentai."

"I would never do such a thing." Miroku said.

"I would hope not given Kagome-chan's condition." Sango said.

"I'll see you later Inuyasha." Kagome said.

"Ah." Inuyasha said. He watched as Sango and Miroku helped Kagome on Kirara. They stayed on foot and walked to her hut.

"You've never heard of the Shikon no Tama?" Kaede asked.

"No." Inuyasha said. "I don't hear about anything."

"Watch over Kagome." Kaede said.

Inuyasha nodded and left the hut.

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Hope you like it. I made this way longer than it usually is. Nine pages. Oh well. I had something planned for this chapter but I was so busy the other day I forgot it because I didn't have a chance to write it down. I've been really busy all of a sudden, which is weird because usually I have a lot of free time on my hands. Let me know what you think. Ja ne.